Jo Bradshaw

Jo Bradshaw is a celebrated female motivational keynote speaker, Everest summiteer, and inspirational adventurer who proves that it’s never too late to transform your life. Once a self-confessed comfort-lover who feared heights and avoided risk, Jo has built a life rooted in challenge, growth, and leadership. Her journey from risk-averse Business Advisor to standing atop the highest mountain on Earth speaks directly to women striving for resilience and self-belief. Through her empowering keynotes, Jo challenges audiences to reframe fear, embrace change, and take those first brave steps into the unknown.

Before she ever set foot on a glacier, Jo was leading a conventional corporate life, guiding others as a Business Advisor while quietly losing her own sense of purpose. A spontaneous charity parachute jump in 2004 marked the beginning of her reinvention. That one brave decision became a gateway to adventure, leading her to scale two 8000-metre peaks – including Mount Everest and Manaslu – and complete the iconic Seven Summits challenge, climbing the highest mountain on each continent. In 2015, she survived the devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Everest while at Camp 1. A year later, she returned stronger, summiting Everest in 2016 – a moment that solidified her belief in the power of resilience, built one step at a time.

Jo has not only conquered mountains but raised over £45,000 for children’s mental health charity Place2Be, combining her expeditions with purpose. She has led over 37 expeditions on Kilimanjaro and guided clients through some of the world’s most remote, challenging environments. Her leadership in oxygen-starved, high-pressure conditions is deeply transferable to the boardroom, helping organisations manage stress, change, and team dynamics. Her motto, “say yes now and work it out later,” was passed down from her late father and remains a central message in her work with leaders and aspiring change-makers.

Today, Jo is an in-demand public speaker, leadership coach, and expedition leader, delivering tailored keynotes and leadership development workshops across sectors. She speaks with authenticity and warmth, sharing real stories of challenge, growth, and human potential. Jo empowers women to recognise their own strength, find their voice, and push their perceived limits—because, as she often says, “we’re all capable; sometimes, we just need to quit the excuses and try.”